


The Hardest One-Syllable Word

by incorrectbatfam



Series: Dick and Dami Week 2021 [5]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Character Study, Gen, Slice of Life, Tumblr: Dick and Dami Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 23:14:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29973738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/incorrectbatfam/pseuds/incorrectbatfam
Summary: Talia does not understand how Dick Grayson can throw the word “love” around like it’s free (nor how Damian goes along with it).~Dick and Dami Week day 5: Dami Calls Dick “Baba” |First “I love you”| “You’re not my father!” “I am well aware.”
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Damian Wayne, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Talia al Ghul & Damian Wayne
Series: Dick and Dami Week 2021 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2197983
Comments: 14
Kudos: 257
Collections: DickAndDamiWeek2021





	The Hardest One-Syllable Word

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Just Love](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/774750) by Khadim Zaman. 



Talia almost did not recognize her son.

The way he entered the quaint coffee shop, his backpack slung over his shoulder despite having two straps, was not the Damian she knew. The way he said “what’s up” and engaged in frivolous small talk with the barista as they concocted his fruity drink was not the Damian she knew. His turtleneck was a carbon copy of Bruce Wayne’s; the Jane Austen book under his arm had Jason Todd’s name written along the spine; the sleeves pushed rather than folded up resembled Timothy Drake. Even the tune he hummed under his breath sounded like something his Kryptonian friend would listen to.

It wasn’t just the inconsequential details. When he sat down, she could tell something fundamentally changed.

“Hello, Mother.”

She cleared her throat. “Hello, Damian. How have you been?”

He folded his hands hesitantly. “I have been well, Mother. And you?”

She followed his eyes, for they were not looking at her. They looked at the scratch on the tabletop and followed the swirling patterned wallpaper behind her. Anywhere but at her. Talia’s first instinct told her he was hiding something.

“As have I,” she said. “How is school?”

The way he held himself told her everything she needed to know. It was not the professional public posture her beloved held whenever he was interviewed, nor was it the unguarded, back-arching slump so many citizens engaged in as they scrolled mindlessly through their cell phones. Damian was on guard, ready to fight like his grandfather raised him, but also relaxed, like he knew he didn’t _need_ to fight. 

“School is going well. I received straight A’s last semester.” His thumb rubbed circles in the condensation on his cup. 

“As expected,” she said. “You are a brilliant boy.”

His hair was hastily done, like somebody had taken a hand through it and he needed to fix it. 

He asked, “How is business with the League?”

She raised an eyebrow. “You know very well I cannot discuss that in public. Why would you ask that?”

Damian shrugged. “It did not hurt to try.”

_Try._

Talia knew few people who would be content settling on _trying_ —who accepted success and failure in equal stride.

“How are your brothers?”

“Drake is currently on a business trip in Switzerland, Thomas is taking a break this week for exams, and Todd recently purchased a new apartment.” He sipped his drink. “Also, Cain took the second jet to Hong Kong this morning because she was craving an egg tart.”

Talia nodded. “And Richard?”

“Normal.”

 _“Normal”_ was a difficult word to define. She disliked vague terms for their multiple ambiguous interpretations—interpretations that could be twisted the way iron rods can be turned into a weapon.

“And what does ‘normal’ entail?”

“He takes me to school every morning before work, including packing my lunch. After school, he picks me up and we complete my homework at the library before evening patrols. Following patrol, we stop by Batburgers on our way home.” 

She raised an eyebrow. “Are those not your father’s duties? He is not your father.”

“I am well aware,” Damian said, “but Grayson is more adept. Plus, he makes more time—father is always too busy.”

“I see,” she said. “Is that all you two do together?”

“We go to the arcade every Friday. Sometimes he shows me around his workplace. One time we drove to New York on a whim and rode all the attractions at Coney Island.”

Games. Impromptu shows. Following purposeless whims. And Damian just… allowed it to happen? Thank goodness his grandfather was not here. 

Intrigued, she said, “Tell me more.”

“More about… me and him?”

She nodded.

Damian stiffened his posture and folded his hands on the table. “We have done remarkable work together. Our productivity is higher when we are collaborating than—”

“I mean outside of work.” Her expression softened, and she wished her father played no part in Damian’s upbringing. “Do not worry, _ibn_ , you are not in any trouble, and I will not tell your grandfather about this. I simply wish to know how you are spending your recreational time. You mentioned arcades and amusement parks?”

He cleared his throat. “Yes, those. Also, a traveling petting zoo came into town last week, and because Father was funding it, Grayson and I got special passes to interact with the animals inside the enclosure. I… quite enjoyed petting the alpacas. Would you like to see a picture, Mother?”

“Of course.”

He brought up a social media post with him and Dick on either side of a shaggy tan alpaca. 

“What are these little… cartoons?” she asked.

“Those are stickers,” Damian said. “They can boost the entertainment value of social media posts.” He paused and tilted his head. “Why are you suddenly interested in these frivolous endeavors?”

“I am interested in my son’s well-being,” she said, “including his _happiness_.”

“You never were before.”

Something cracked in her chest. 

Her brows furrowed. “You have changed, Damian.”

“Grayson says change is necessary.”

When she first brought Damian to Gotham, she did so to hone his skills while shielding him from the League’s cruelty. She had counted on the Batman to teach him everything he needed to know to be the perfect fighter. What she hadn’t counted on was Damian’s Batman _not_ being Bruce Wayne. Dick Grayson was the variable she failed to take into consideration while running her careful calculations. Her father would be most displeased with such a careless accident. She didn’t care.

Damian’s phone rang. 

“Yes, Grayson?”

Though it wasn’t on speaker, Talia could parse together the bits and pieces. They were the typical questions of where he was and when would he go home. At one point, Dick asked Damian what he wanted from the grocery store, to which Damian replied, “Peanut butter cups”.

_“I’ll see you at home, Lil’ D. Love you.”_

Damian glanced at Talia briefly; she couldn’t read his expression. He said, “I love you too.”

He hung up and grabbed his bag. “I must get going. It was nice seeing you, Mother.”

“You too.” She pursed her lips and swallowed her pride along with her father’s backward teachings. “I love you.”

He blinked. Nothing came out. Perhaps it’s too late for—

His arms wrapped around her. Stunned, her hands floated awkwardly before they found their way around him, one between his shoulders and the other in his baby-soft hair. He reached almost to her shoulder. Oh, how fast they grow.

“I love you too,” he said.

Her only regret was not being there to witness Damian grow herself. But he had freedom she could never provide. He had friendships he couldn’t form before and smiled like she never saw before. He had the unrelenting sunshine that was Dick Grayson. And seeing where they are now, _together_ , Talia is grateful things did not go as planned.

~

**_“Love is letting the other be.”_ **

_—Khadim Zaman_

**Author's Note:**

> Translations:  
> • Ibn (Arabic) = son


End file.
